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Volkswagen suspension recalls involving loose fasteners and broken rear springs
⚠ 1 of these recalls carries a do-not-drive advisory.
Volkswagen's suspension notices repeatedly address connections that can loosen and rear components that can fracture. The 2018 Tiguan appears in recalls involving lower ball joint nuts, rear shock absorber welds on LWB vehicles, and rear coil springs. Premature rear spring fracture also affects certain 2018–2019 Atlas, 2015 Golf SportWagen, and 2019 Jetta vehicles in the December 2018 notice. The March 2019 notice lists 2017–2019 Golf Sportwagen, 2015–2019 Golf, 2019 Jetta, and 2018–2019 Tiguan vehicles. Later notices cover rear suspension knuckles on certain Tiguan and Taos vehicles, trailing arm bolts on Atlas variants, and strut mountings on 2023 Golf R A8 and Golf GTI vehicles.
Warning signs to watch for
- Steering, traction, or stability problems if the ball joint separates: 2018 VW Tiguan Loose Ball Joint Nut recall.
- Sudden loss of vehicle control if the trailing arm fractures: 2022 VW Atlas Rear Trailing Arm Bolts May Loosen recall.
- Steering instability from loose suspension connections: 2023 Volkswagen Golf R Suspension Strut Mount May Loosen recall.
Can you keep driving? What the notices say
The May 16, 2018 VW Tiguan Loose Ball Joint Nut recall tells owners not to drive until the recall repair has been performed. It is the only listed suspension recall carrying a stop-driving instruction; none carries a park-outside instruction. The notices for the rear shock absorber, both rear coil spring recalls, rear suspension knuckle, rear trailing arm bolt, and suspension strut mounting recalls do not tell owners to stop driving. Those notices describe crash risks involving vehicle control, stability, or steering.
What the free repair involves
Repairs are free of charge. Dealers replace ball joint nuts, cleaning threads as necessary; inspect rear shocks and replace as necessary; and replace rear axle springs under each spring recall. They inspect knuckles and strut mountings, replacing as necessary under their respective recalls. The trailing arm recall replaces driver-side rear trailing arm bolts.
Severity at a glance
| Severity | Recalls |
|---|---|
| critical | 1 |
| high | 6 |
Models affected most
Where owners report suspension problems most
NHTSA owner complaints filed under suspension for the Volkswagen models and years in this guide. Complaints are unverified reports and are not limited to the recalled defects.
| Vehicle | Suspension complaints |
|---|---|
| 2019 Volkswagen Golf Sportwagen | 3 |
| 2018 Volkswagen Golf | 2 |
Every recall in this group
| Date | Recall | Severity |
|---|---|---|
| Jun 21, 2023 | Volkswagen Golf R Suspension Strut Mount May Loosen | high |
| Oct 26, 2022 | VW Atlas Rear Trailing Arm Bolts May Loosen | high |
| Mar 23, 2022 | Volkswagen Tiguan, Taos Rear Suspension May Crack | high |
| Mar 6, 2019 | Volkswagen Models May Have Rear Coil Spring Fracture | high |
| Dec 19, 2018 | Volkswagen Atlas, Jetta Rear Coil Spring May Fracture | high |
| May 16, 2018 | VW Tiguan Loose Ball Joint Nut · do not drive | critical |
| Apr 25, 2018 | VW Tiguan Rear Shock Absorber Weld Failure | high |
Common questions
Which Volkswagen suspension recall tells owners to stop driving?
The May 16, 2018 Tiguan loose ball joint nut notice tells owners not to drive until the recall repair is performed. The other listed suspension notices do not tell owners to stop driving.
Which Volkswagen models have rear coil spring recalls?
The December 2018 notice lists 2018–2019 Atlas, 2015 Golf SportWagen, and 2019 Jetta. The March 2019 notice lists 2017–2019 Golf Sportwagen, 2015–2019 Golf, 2019 Jetta, and 2018–2019 Tiguan. Both specify rear axle coil spring replacement.
What does the Tiguan and Taos rear knuckle repair involve?
Recall 42L8 covers certain 2022 Tiguan and Taos vehicles and 2021 Tiguan LWB vehicles. Dealers inspect the rear suspension knuckles and, if necessary, replace one or both free of charge. The notice describes corrosion, cracking, and breakage.
A recall applies only to specific vehicles. Check your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.